Local History Book

Quiz

New book is welcome addition to the history of town

That’s Entertainment – A History of the Newcastle and Potteries Theatre 1788-1957 is a new book which has been written by Dr Richard Talbot, MBE, F.R.Hist.S.

Dr Talbot is one of Staffordshire’s leading historians having studied history from the age of 18, first gaining a Master of Philosophy degree at Keele University, followed by a PhD at Leicester.

He is also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, well-known broadcaster, documentary producer, lecturer, and regular contributor to the local media.

‘That’s Entertainment’ is not a history of the building, it’s a complete package of several disciplines’ which will attract local inhabitants, students of theatre history and development, social history of the period and how this addressed itself in theatre attendance. Not only that, but Dr Talbot also expands his work by using examples within the limits of theatre development at the time.

This study illustrates the challenges of competition and how that was tied into the social fabric of the town, followed by improvements in transport from the mid1900s. In fact, it is a complete social history combining theatre, localities, social habits, and class distinction which was an integral part of society for most of the theatre’s existence.

The Newcastle and Pottery Theatre was the first purposebuilt theatre in North Staffordshire and its interior design was based upon the

Olympic Theatre in London, and a fine example of provincial theatre architecture of the period. This study examines not only the architectural features of the theatre with no flytower, but also with no electricity not even gas lighting or mechanical means of changing scenes, and importantly how theatres were administered and managed in

those early years of King George III. As a comparative and social history this book demonstrates how theatres operated in those early days. Advertisements in a town such as Newcastle were targeted at the gentry, the people who could afford the prices of admission and the frequent mention on the restrictions of servants, even to the separation of the classes by different entrances identifying the social structure of the day. To the people of Newcastle, it provides a unique visual of how the town expanded in the nineteenth century in a time of great hardship for the working classes and the first book to be published on any aspect of Newcastle for nearly fifty years and seen as a welcomed addition to a unique part of its history never previously researched.

For the student of early theatres this book gives an insight into how provincial theatres operated, not as today but by groups of touring players who hired the theatre for a season after which they would move on to the next town with the same repertoire of plays, largely consisting of tragedy and Shakespeare. No opera, or Gilbert and Sullivan operettas trod the boards or the larger chorus musicals which became popular from the 1920s. Programmes frequently consisted of several short acts, with highly dramatic performances by those who easily could express various moods by the contortion of their face. Other performance were frequently male juvenile actors who had the ability to perform, speak and act in tragedies betraying someone at least twice their age. Most had previously appeared in London theatres.

For most shows they consisted of several short plays followed by community singing. Many stars of the day also appeared in a wide range of acts from opera to recitations but also included a two nights performance of Paganini, the international violinist in 1833. The study of the early theatres captures the moment by illustrating the type of acts which trod the boards in its early years, then, gradually, to the demands of society moved forward towards music and even promenade concerts and the involvement of local musicians and minstrels even attracting the Sutherlands from Trentham as Patrons.

Most of all, it evaluates the impact that the opening of the Theatre Royal in Hanley had on attendances and the lack of enterprise by the directors to fight off the competition, but importantly the ageing theatre which was impossible to adapt to the changing demands of public tastes finally closed and ending the first chapter of its history.

With the advent of cinematography which started to attract audiences in about 1910 the theatre, then deserted for several years opened once more following major alterations and refurbishment into the town’s first cinema called The Cinema, with silent movies and general interest films.

The book from this point follows the story from its second birth as a cinema and the various names by which the cinema went under. Then its conversion to sound and the spectacular films with the stars of the day all attracting full houses. From the 1950s, like many other picture houses in the country there was a steady decline as television became more popular until the cinema closed in 1957 under the name of the Roxy and with it a huge contribution it made to the cultural history of Newcastle which lasted for over 150 years was lost by a wreckers ball.

That’s Entertainment – A History of the Newcastle and Potteries Theatre 1788-1957 can be purchased direct from Newcastle Library on Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1, at a book signing launch from 11am to 3pm or direct from: